How to watch this weekend’s action from Soelden
Universal Sports Network is officially available to everyone (not living in a cave).
The network will present extensive multi-platform coverage of the 2014-15 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, both on air and at UniversalSports.com starting with the season’s opener in Soelden, Austria this Saturday and Sunday.
The network is available on Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS, CenturyLink Prism, Google Fiber, satellite providers DIRECTV and DISH and several regional cable and IPTV operators in markets across the country.
Comcast remains the major holdout and is not expected to offer Universal to its customers this season. This relationship has at times been confusing and frustrating for consumers who are under the impression that Comcast (via NBC) is the parent company of Universal Sports. Despite the peacock in its logo, this is not actually the case.
“NBC Sports is a minority owner in Universal, so we have to negotiate just as any other networks. We operate as an independent network,” said Universal spokeswoman Catherine Philbin. “That said, we have a great relationship with NBC Sports — we work with them on a daily basis. You’re going to see more of that this year during ski season.”
UniversalSports.com is scheduled to live stream more than 250 hours of full event competition for authenticated users who subscribe to cable or satellite providers that carry Universal Sports.
“That is unchanged, and that’s a simple TV and Cable industry standard,” said Philbin. “Yes, you do have to have Universal Sports as part of your subscription package in order to be able to watch (on Universal’s site).”
Stuck with Comcast? Not a cable or satellite subscriber? There’s still hope.
For race fans who are without access to Universal Sports on their TV, there is an affordable online option: For $10 per month, DishWorld’s “Just Sports TV” package provides access to computers, as well as select tablets and mobile devices. Tech savvy users can even stream Universal’s programming to their televisions through an HDMI cable or an air-streaming device for near-seamless viewing. Furthermore, races can be watched anytime up to eight days following the event. The “Just Sports TV” package does not require a contract and subscriptions can be terminated at anytime.
DishWorld is a good solution for viewers who previously utilized Universal’s popular paid online alpine package, which was discontinued two years ago.
With the World Championships set to take place on home snow this season, Universal has put further emphasis on live alpine coverage with many of the broadcasts happening in real time, depending on time zone, says Philbin.
Presented by Longines, Universal’s broadcast coverage will feature the veteran play-by-play announcer Steve Porino and analyst Doug Lewis. This year’s broadcasts will also include the newly-designed Audi Race Room, where the network’s analysts give viewers an insider’s look at the elite competition by breaking down the techniques and technologies behind individual performances.
“2015 was supposed to be a curtain call for two of the sport’s biggest stars, Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn, but Miller, Vonn and Julia Mancuso have more in them and are all back,” Porino commented about Team USA. “I predict that we’re also going to watch Mikaela Shiffrin bud from best slalom skier in the world to one of the best skiers, period. And Ted Ligety will continue to cement his legend as one of the greatest giant slalom skiers to have ever lived by adding another World Championship title.”
Live television coverage of the 2014-15 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup begins Saturday at 6:30 a.m. ET with the women’s giant slalom from Soelden, Austria, and continues with the men’s giant slalom on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET. LIVE streaming begins at 3:30 a.m. ET on both days.
Check out Universal’s complete Alpine World Cup schedule here.